Tuesday, September 6, 2011

I have written these lyrics for Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak. These guys were both amazing players and now are looking over their loved ones. They were taken away from us way to young. I also written these lyrics for the people who lost their lives on 9/11. These lyrics are also personal.

Looking at the summer for the NHL we lost three players, Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak to drugs and sucide and made me wonder if the game of hockey was important anymore. But then again the game is what brings many fans and players together. Suicide is serious and I hope that it will be brought up in the National Hockey League and the world.

Now let me ask you a question: what do you do when an event like this changes on how you feel about the people? You begin to wonder if people will stick beside you and help you overcome it or they will turn their back on you. You begin to fear for the lives surrounded around you and make drastic changes in order to get on with life. In order to live through a tragedy, you need the strength and courage to move on but also the love and support from friends, loved ones and family. You also need inner strength and courage to make yourself go on with life like many people are trying to do and believe me it's hard but we can make it together.

One way to overcome this event is to talk to a therapist about it and not let drugs, alcohol or depression get in the way. The way to know what is right from wrong is to look at this moment and realize what is now important in your life. To not regret what happened in your past and look beyond the present to what will be ahead in the future. But also live in the present in order to move on a tragic event. But one thing you need to know is to not give up on hope in an event like this. The strong and the weak. The old and the young. The beautiful and the ugly. The popular and the geeks. The celebrities and the nobodies. Every type of person is push to the limit to see who will make it and who will not. Who will quit and who won’t give up! But most of all to see if this tragedy can bring people closer and bring a team back in order to win it all. Everyone knows that adversity can either bring or tear a team apart. Can we all pray for those who are in trouble so that maybe this will not happen anymore. We learned that these tragedies are nowhere compared to what we’ve gone through. But one day we will try to get rid of these tragedies and help the fans realize that this game is to entertain.

And from this journey, perhaps we will now learn that life is not only about the game we play or the money we earned, but it is also, more importantly, about the power that we all have when we pray. This is now a journey through tragedy and triumph win during the new season of 2011-2012. This season will be dedicated to the spirit of those who play in the game of life. To those who compete fairly, honestly, and with a zest of life. To those individuals who show up no matter what the score is and play hard with a winning attitude. To those who want to fly and soar about the crowd in pursuit of their dreams.

Now it's our time to honor Boogaard, Rypien, Belak and those who are struggling with depression. To make a derived beauty from an unusual place: catastrophe. Our task is not easy, but our soul searching will produce something special. Everything happens for a reason and purpose. Why did it happen? I don’t know. Carelessness? We were trying to do too much.. But it taught me something. Slow down. Pay more attention. Take it easy. Don’t rush. Everything happens for a reason. Because we may never known when it might strike again.

Then the real thing answer dawned on me. The point to this tragedy and message it gave us was simple: You have to believe that you can heal yourself if you are ever going to heal yourself.

The bottom line is that you have to believe. I believe, we believe…Do you believe? So do you believe? I mean do you really believe? In yourself? In miracles? In faith? In your dreams? In your hopes? In your prayers? Well, do you? Well, I believe. Oh, sure, sometimes I have doubts. That’s normal. But if you believe, truly believe, then the doubts will be erased. Sometimes slowly at first, but eventually they will disappear. So let me put you to the test? Do you believe that our team will get better? I mean really get better. Do you think a tragedy will bring this team down? Be careful how you answer that. Think a minute. I take that back. Feel for a minute. By all means, don’t answer that question with your head, because this is a question that you must answer with your heart. Don’t except the answer to make sense. Because questions of faith, hope and prayer can only be answered with the heart. It is at times like these that miracles happen. The important thing is that you believe. The key is you have to keep hoping and praying for the best.

So how do you feel? Remember, there is only one answer if you truly are a believer. And we know that you believe, because we believe, too. The last thing you want to do is jump on this bandwagon. This is one bandwagon that is full of true fans who won’t be shocked by any miracles. As a matter of fact, we expect them to happen. So if you see us whooping it after this miracle happens, don’t ask us to explain how we knew. We just felt it. And remember one important thing, we always believed.

You think that winning games and making sure you are the best makes everything seem so right. You accomplish something you’ve tried to achieve for your whole life and the day is bright. And then in a turn of moment, fate deals you an unlucky blow. Tragedy strikes and the goals that you had set out to attain just don’t seem as important as they once did. Perspective takes the place of pride. Prayers takes the place of celebration. And somewhere, a broken wing starts to mend. Such is life. So special, so beautiful, so precious and so vulnerable. In one split second you are on the top of the world, smiling and taking in the sunshine that is life. In the next instant you’ve fallen, the smile has disappeared and the skies have darkened. A kind fate that embraced you earlier has changed to a cruel fate that slaps you down. The same is true in the game of Life. In this game, in which the stakes are much higher, a thin line separates all players from joy and pain, and from triumph and tragedy.

Outside there is pain. Outside, the wounds are fresh and hearts still ache. There is grieving to do, tears to dry, and questions to answer. There is guilt and blame and an ongoing discussions of what constitutes justice. One player is injured and his future is in doubt because of someone’s careless act of judgment. And some would wonder: How can the Dallas Stars continue to play hockey. There is a better question: How can we not? This is our escape, our asylum. Our teams future has changed as one life has changed forever and the team’s perspective of winning a cup is put on hold as they try to find their selves after this tragic shooting that could of cost one our teams a life. In an instant, hockey is irrelevant. Our minds are heavy and minds are elsewhere as we fight to win the Stanley Cup for us and those who went through the same stuff we went through. The ice can be the great escape, despite the reminders. It’s where us, the fans and the players, let go and come together, where we pay tribute and work out our emotions. Like the rest us, despite personal tragedy, the players, coaches and general mangers must do their jobs. We are not going to give up because that’s not what our fans want us to do. I am not going to and neither are the rest of the fans in the NHL. Don’t put us aside and say that we can’t make it because we can. We’ll prove that to you. This is difficult however. We are going to move on. It stays busy, guarding itself against those empty moments when the pain returns. On the ice, thankfully, there is a game. On the ice, at least, things still make sense. But off the ice, it may never be the same.

Unfortunately, we are going through this terrible tragedy, but this will make us stronger. It made us realize we’re very fortunate people in life, and when you have something, you better take advantage of it because once it’s gone, it’s too late. The amazing strength and courage our team has shown right now is what we are going to use through the rest of the season.

I remember somebody once told me about a quote. Here it goes: George Bernard Shaw once wrote—“There are two tragedies in life: one is to lose your heart’s desire…the other is to gain it”. Clearly, Shaw had his heart broken once or twice. It is loss and love in two different perspectives. He had love as a tragedy and the other to gain it. Shaw was right: as we strain to grasp the things we desire… the things we think will make our lives better: money, popularity, fame… we ignore what truly matters… the simple things: like friendship, family, and love. The things we probably already had. Yeah, losing your heart’s desire is tragic. But to gain it has been the wonderful thing in our lives that maybe is one thing that can help people heal. Why do things always have to change? I was happy before-or at least content. Now? Everything's different. How do we sort it all out: people's expectations, the tragic event, the chance to find out how good we really are, how good we can be. We either let this tragedy give us hope or bring us despair. To discover our destiny now in the future. You can't shy away from the hard stuff. In fact, maybe the thing to do is to embrace it, the way God urges us to do. Yeah. That's easy to say, but can you embrace the challenges ahead us.

Adversity really does make you stronger - that is as long as it doesn't kill you in the process. Have you ever dealt with pain and adversity throughout your life? Adversity and Pain is what this team has gone through and it will make us a stronger team. Someone able to tell you are smart and able to deal with it. But you can't listen to what other people say because you are going to loose that strength. A bond between player and coach, player and their fans, able to know what is important life and see it out in a different light. Pain and adversity will help us know that life will never be the same. These struggles and adversity will help bring out team together and make us stronger at the end. How do you deal with both? You find your heart and courage and move on beyond these tragedies in order to move on with life. You just have to have a little faith. You just have to have a lot of hope. You just have to believe.

Make a difference in someone's life. Tell them that they are worth it and that they can make a difference in your life and many other words. I hope this speech or article will give you the courage and make a difference in someone's life.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

October 11, 2008

Every critic and fan of the Dallas Stars is wondering where the energetic team that went to the Conference Finals last year went. Where is the energy and grit that they use to break other teams in part?

The Dallas Stars are not playing opponents that many people are expecting to win a Stanley Cup, and they are playing poorly, making mistakes that they never make. On the Dallas Stars' official website, their captain Brenden Morrow describe their play better than anyone else can right now.

"It feels like we are not trusting or supporting each other, and we are leaving holes," captain Brenden Morrow said. "It's not a lack of effort. I think we are too anxious to make plays. We know the expectations and after not getting the result we wanted yesterday, we were trying to do too much. It's only two games, but we certainly want to be playing better than this."

Every fan in Dallas wants to see these Stars play better, or everyone can say goodbye to a Stanley Cup championship. This team needs to learn to not push the panic button at the wrong time and start working together, so that they can win like many us believe that they can do. We can't blame any players, but we can blame the team for their lack of willing to win.

This team needs to start believing in themselves and put together an awesome season so that they can have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup. I believe that they are better than this and will have a great chance at winning the Cup.

Is Marty Turco really soft in the pipes for the struggling Dallas Stars who can't find a way to win a game?

I don't believe that he is because he is not getting the support that he got last year when the Stars could find ways to score and play that tough defense that other teams hate to play against.

Where is that acrobatic goalie that we saw in the playoffs? Is Marty ever going to pull an a game performance? Or he is going to continue to play like he is now? I am hoping that Turco can prove to me that he can win some games and put out some key stops so that the Stars can start scoring more goals.

Brenden Morrow, his close friend and the team captain, needs to show Turco that they can win as a team and not put any pressure on Marty Turco. I want to see Turco prove to me that he is not soft in the pipes and prove to me that he is can win games for the Stars when they need them.

The mistakes are all around the ice. The turnovers are causing frustration and anger from the Dallas Stars. The lapses and odd man rushes in the defensive zone are causing goal after goal. The power plays that the Stars did so well at last year, are lackluster and not working to help them get the momentum in the game.

These simple tasks are even hard for the Stars to understand. Stop if you have heard any of these problems before with the Dallas Stars. If they do not fix these mistakes, this team will not make the playoffs and win that Stanley Cup that many people have been predicting this season.

Should they fire Dave Tippett this season? No, because he is not the cause of these breakdowns in the Stars system.

Should they find a respectable backup that can win games for Marty Turco when he is in a slump? Yes, because Tobias Stephan, the Stars rookie goalie is not getting it done. And a veteran backup behind Marty will push him to earn the No. 1 spot.

Should they force Brenden Morrow to give away the "C" on his jersey? No they should not, because he is the heart and soul of the team and the main reason why they got so far last season.

Many questions need to be answered before they spiral down to a new low. They should not wait for Sergei Zubov and Jere Lehtinen to help them break out of this slump, because last year they were able to do it without those two in the lineup.

I think Dave Tippett needs to talk to every player and break down every mistake they have made. I think Marty Turco needs to make key saves when the defense breaks down.

Last but not least, Brenden Morrow needs to stop taking dumb penalties and lead the team like he did last year, with amazing leadership and game momentum goals that change the game around.

These Dallas Stars need to overcome adversity in order to make the playoffs. Many fans believe that they can.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

The Dallas Stars Roster has changed up for the new reason and the biggest change is losing number one center Brad Richards to the New York Rangers as he signed a nine-year contract worth $60 million but they were very active in the free agency world by signing Michael Ryder, Radek Dvorak, Vernon Fiddler, Jake Dowell and Eric Goddard in the forward position while toughing up their defense with the signing of Adam Pardy and Sheldon Souray. This team will be different but I see a big season from them.

Season series -- The Stars are 2-0-1 against the Sharks this season and 6-2-1 in the last two seasons. … San Jose leads the NHL in shots on goal per game (34.0) and shot differential (plus-5.5)…The Stars are 7-3-0 in the first game of back-to-backs this season and 3-6-0 in the second game.

Key stat: 8: The Sharks have won eight straight games and have the NHL’s best record (17-2-1) since Jan. 15.

Tonight's game should be interesting as both teams are fighting for their playoff lives in this tight race in the Western Conference. Dallas will be looking for revenge after their 4-3 Overtime loss against the Anaheim Ducks and try to win against one of the hottest teams in the Pacific Division, the San Jose Sharks